New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman is shaking a finger at the American automotive market again, and this time it's Toyota that he's ticked at. Friedman seems to have difficulty wrapping his head around the fact Toyota, with the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market, has joined the automakers formerly known as the big three in fighting the Senate bill to increase combined corporate average fuel economy to 35 mpg by 2020. We thought it was pretty obvious that Toyota was, you know, a company, and would be looking to maximize profits, as companies are wont to do. While Toyota's suffering the worst of the blast, they're not the only one Friedman hit in yesterday's blast.

Tommy Boy also takes a shot at Michigan Representative John Dingell for fighting the 35-mpg standard, claiming Michigan lawmakers are partially responsible for the downfall of Detroit automakers by constantly sheltering the auto industry. Unfortunately, he neglects to mention Dingell's the guy proposing a 50-cent gas tax increase and if Friedman really thinks automakers should be importing the fuel-efficient cars they sell in Europe and Japan, there needs to be demand for those cars — similar to Europe's $6 per gallon gas — before there is a place in American showrooms for them. [The New York Times]